16 October 2012 6:55 PM

Is this the worst press release ever written?

We Lobby hacks are by definition and design jacks of all trades, some of us master of none.

We all have our areas of interest and specialism where we can be expected to have followed the minutiae of events in a given field to some degree.

But most of us in most areas are reliant on receiving simple, clear information from government departments, special advisers, MPs and pressure groups.

Most regard it as a badge of pride that they can deliver coherent, clear facts that might be communicated by busy journalists to a public and readership that may not be as obsessed by their particular corner of the world as they are.

Which brings me to this.

I have just received what may be the worst and most incomprehensible press release I have ever been sent in 14 years of journalism.

Some in Whitehall will regard printing this self-regarding, self-obsessed gibberish in full as an act of war. But if it makes the Plain English campaign fire an exocet in the general direction of the Department for the Environment then all the better.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is the worst press release of the day, perhaps any day.

It's all here. Failing to say what the story is. Failing to explain what the 'Aichi targets' are. Baffling acronyms ('COP11', anyone?). Jargon (all of it).

The only thing that can be firmy established from this press release is that Richard Benyon is delighted to be in Hyderabad.

Press officers be warned. Clean up your acts, or we will make a habit of this...

"Please find a Defra press notice below.

High Level Panel on Global Assessment of Resources for Biodiversity
releases first findings

The joint UK and Indian sponsored independent panel of experts has concluded
that a stronger policy framework which reflects the value of biodiversity in
all decision making is vital to secure the Aichi targets.

The High Level Panel on the ‘Global Assessment of Resources for Implementing
the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020’ released its first findings at
‘COP 11’ of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) today. The Panel,
chaired by eminent Indian economist, Pavan Sukhdev, was established to help
understand the global resource requirements for the Strategic Plan for
Biodiversity 2011-2020, including the Aichi targets.

The Panel’s assessment, which is the first of its kind, provides an insight
into the resources needed to meet the 20 international "Aichi"
biodiversity targets agreed at the last Conference of the Parties in Nagoya,
Japan in 2010. The Panel’s findings are underpinned by detailed research
looking at the actions needed to meet each specific target and the potential
resources required.

Speaking in Hyderabad, UK Minister for the Natural Environment Richard
Benyon, and Indian Minister for Environment and Forests Jayanthi Natarajan both
warmly welcomed the work of the Panel.

Minister Jayanthi Natarajan,
Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Environment and Forests, Government
of India and CBD CoP-11 President said:

"The decisions that CoP-11
takes in Hyderabad will lay the foundation for achieving the Aichi targets so
as to ensure that by 2020 ecosystems are resilient and continue to provide
essential services, thereby securing the planet’s variety of life, contributing
to human well-being and poverty eradication, provided sustained and focused
efforts are made by all stakeholders".

UK Environment Minister Mr Benyon said:

"I am delighted to be here in Hyderabad at this conference talking
about biodiversity, which is a significant issue for the entire world.

"The Panel which the UK and India have established together has shown
how important it is to mobilize resources of every kind – human, technical and
financial, both public and private - in order to achieve the challenging
targets we set ourselves at Nagoya.

"We are very grateful to the members of the Panel for their hard work
in producing this report and are keen to examine how we can build on their
findings".

Pavan Sukhdev in his presentation said:

"Whilst there are some big numbers in this report, our panel found that
the greatest resource needs are around reducing the direct drivers of
biodiversity, those which occur throughout our economies and societies, and
those which – if addressed – will deliver benefits far beyond biodiversity, to
human health, livelihoods, and sustainable development based on a healthier and
more secure natural environment. In this context they should not be seen as a
bill to the biodiversity community, but a call for action to develop our
institutions and governance structures to ensure biodiversity is taken into
account in decisions in all sectors of our society."

Implementation and delivery of the Aichi Biodiversity
Targets require the development of an appropriate and coherent political
and institutional framework, and strong political will, particularly at
national and regional levels.

Investment in ‘natural capital’ will deliver
significant co-benefits for sustainable development. Expenditure to meet
the Aichi Biodiversity Targets should be recognised as part of wider
investment needs for promoting sustainable development.

Existing evidence suggests that benefits are likely to
significantly outweigh costs. Without immediate action, the social and
economic costs of biodiversity loss and the loss of ecosystem services
will be felt at an accelerating rate in the future and will limit growth
and stability. Investments made now will reduce resource requirements in
the future.

There are clear differences in the relative scale of
investment required to deliver the various Targets. In addition, the
investment needed to deliver a Target is not necessarily correlated to its
importance. Some Targets which require relatively little investment are
actually crucial in helping to deliver other Targets. Some may seem less
resource-intensive, but could be more difficult to achieve, particularly
if they require changes in institutions, policies, priorities, attitudes
and behaviour. The scales of investment can be broadly summarised as:

Significant
investment required: For those Targets specifically aimed at addressing the
drivers of biodiversity loss and ecosystem restoration, the required total
global investment over the period 2013 to 2020 is in the order of several
hundreds of billions of (US) dollars. Targets in this group fall under
Strategic Goals B and D (excluding Target 16).

Moderate
investment required: Targets associated with required conservation work
will require total global investment over the period 2013 to 2020 in the order
of hundreds of billions of (US) dollars for Target 11 (i.e. establishing and
maintaining protected areas) and in the order of tens of billions of (US)
dollars for the other Targets of Strategic Goal C.

Low
investment required: Targets related to improving and creating necessary
enabling conditions are likely to be much less resource-intensive. For these
Targets, the total global investment needs over the period 2013 to 2020 will
more likely be in the order of billions of (US) dollars. These Targets mostly
relate to Strategic Goals A and E, as well as Target 16.

Many
factors affect the magnitude of the estimates of the total investment and
ongoing expenditure needed to achieve each of the Targets. These include the
scope of the actions and activities identified for each Target and the
potential synergies among Targets as well as uncertainties arising from
limitations in data and methodologies.

There are many inter-linkages and co-dependencies to
consider, both between the Targets themselves, and between the Targets and
other national policy goals. The investment needs of one Target will often
be influenced by the approach, resourcing and effectiveness of the
delivery of others. Understanding these inter-linkages and co-dependencies
across Targets and between Targets and policy goals for poverty
alleviation, human health, agriculture, freshwater, desertification,
fisheries, etc, is important in order to prioritise action and should be
considered a crucial area for further work.

Funding from a diverse range of international and
national sources, and across different policy areas, is required to secure
the full range of economic and social benefits to be gained from meeting
the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. Sources of financing will include a wide
range of public funding and development of innovative measures and
conservation incentives such as payments for ecosystem services (PES),
conservation agreements, water fees, forest carbon offsets, and green
fiscal policies, as well as private sector investment.

Further research and analysis is vital to help further
develop and refine these estimates."

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